Seminar on ‘HC for Goa’ to be held on April 25

MARGAO: In order to underline the need for separate high court (HC) in the state, president of South Goa Advocates’ Association Rajeev Gomes on Saturday urged the judges and advocates to participate in the scheduled April 25 seminar at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, on the topic ‘High Court for the state of Goa’.

He said that Article 214 of the Constitution of India mandates that there shall be a high court for each state.

The seminar will be between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Addressing the media, Gomes said, “An independent high court for each state is a must. Goan judges are intelligent, efficient and honest and are capable of manning an independent high court and we need not continue to be governed by the Bombay High Court.”

“It is the high time to have our own high court to provide opportunity to our legal fraternity to man, administer and dispense justice within our own state and thus fulfill the mandate of Article 214 of the Constitution,’’ he said.

Anacleto Viegas, convenor of the seminar, said that high court for the state of Goa is long overdue as the bench of the Bombay High Court was initially set up to train and administer the judicial system till the state is capable of having its own high court.

“There are hurdles put by few of the politicians. Resolution was passed and the bill was moved in the assembly. It is still lying there,’’ he said.

He said that high courts have been set up in practically all the states in India

“Even the newly carved out states have been provided with a high court,’’ he said adding that language, culture and laws of the State of Goa are unique, and it certainly deserves its own high court.